Fracas in limo headed to Eagles game lands Colwyn man in slammer

NORRISTOWN — It wasn’t exactly a sack or a horse-collar tackle, but a Delaware County man’s roughing while on his way to a Philadelphia Eagles game in a limo has ended with a penalty.

Richard Bell, 49, of the first block of South Third Street, Colwyn, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to six to 23 months in the county jail after he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of simple assault in connection the incident on Dec. 13, 2012.

The scuffle, during which two men were injured, occurred around 6:30 p.m. as the limo was traveling in the area of Hagys Ford and Conshohocken State roads in the Gladwyne section of Lower Merion, court papers indicate. The limousine driver called 911 “after Bell started attacking the other passengers,” according to the criminal complaint filed by Lower Merion Detective Cameron Parker.

When police arrived at the scene, they saw a group of males standing next to the limo and Bell yelling at the other men, “You’ll never get to the game now, I’m calling some people,” according to the criminal complaint.

The limousine driver said he picked up Bell and several other male passengers in Exton, Chester County. The driver added that Bell became angry while speaking to his girlfriend on his cellphone and started yelling obscenities.

“(The driver) recalled one of the other passengers asked Bell to stop yelling and that (Bell) responded by striking this passenger with his fist,” Parker alleged in the criminal complaint. “(The driver) indicated that the other passengers attempted to subdue Bell by grabbing onto him.”

Police said two of the male passengers had visible injuries, “which consisted of large, bleeding, abrasions or scratches on their necks” caused by Bell grabbing them around their necks, according to the arrest affidavit.

By pleading guilty to simple assault, Bell admitted he attempted to cause or recklessly caused bodily injury to the two men.

Judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy ordered Bell to report to the county jail on Dec. 2 to begin serving the sentence. Bell is eligible for the work-release program during his incarceration. The judge further ordered Bell, who underwent a drug and alcohol evaluation prior to sentencing, to comply with any recommendations for treatment made by probation officials.